Known as the silent destroyers termites can go unnoticed for months or even years. While a termite infestation may not be easy to spot early on there are some smaller signs you should be aware of.
Hollowed Out Wood
Termites eat wood from the inside out so while there may not be any visible damage you can typically hear a change inside the wood. Tap on the wood from the outside you may notice that it sounds less solid and more hollow than before. If the wood sounds hollow there is a good chance you have termites.
Heaps of Wings
After flying termites have mated they shed their wings before forming new colonies. Because termites are social insects this tends to happen in large quantities. Swamps of these wood-eating pests can contain anywhere from 60,000 to 1 million termites. Termite wings are thin and resemble fish scales or tiny feathers.
Flying termites are often confused with carpenter ants so it’s important to remember that Carpenter ants do not shed their wings the way termites do. If you notice discarded wings assume they are from termites and call a professional pest control company.
Mud Tubes
Mud tubes are tunnels construction of soil and wood created by termites for travel. Termites build mud tubes to protect themselves as they travel to and from their nest to their food source. They are normally found on the outside of homes. To test to see if a tunnel is still being used you can destroy a section of the tube in the center. If the tube is repaired, then the colony is still active and living there.
Being aware of these small but powerful signs can help you stop a termite infestation earlier than if you only depended on visible wood damage. If you notice any of these symptoms give Dustin Pest Control a call to schedule your termite inspection.